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ISSN 1069-7799
ALAWON
ALA Washington Office Newsline
An electronic publication of the
American Library Association Washington Office
Volume 5, Number 2
February 1, 1996
In this issue: (168 lines)
TRANSITION TO ELECTRONIC DEPOSITORY LIBRARIES PROPOSED;
ACTION NEEDED
ALA COMMENDS CONGRESS AND GPO
TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT OF 1995 PASSED BY HOUSE AND SENATE
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TRANSITION TO ELECTRONIC DEPOSITORY LIBRARIES PROPOSED
The Government Printing Office has proposed a plan to convert the
print-based Federal Depository Library Program to an almost
completely electronic program by October 1998. GPO released
__The Electronic Federal Depository Library Program: Transition
Plan, FY 1996 - FY 1998__ in late December 1995. GPO says the
plan is based on their understanding of Congressional intent and
direction, technological developments, and operational and
budgetary realities.
The anticipated transition to almost entirely electronic
dissemination would be dramatic. For example, in FY 1995, GPO
distributed 17,466 titles in paper, 26,856 in microfiche and 412
in electronic format. Nearly 17 million copies of these 44,734
titles were in depository libraries for public use. According to
the transition plan, by October 1998, only a core list of 24
publications would be distributed in paper to depository
libraries, with everything else electronic. The list of titles
includes:
1. American Foreign Policy--Current Documents
2. Budget of the United States Government
3. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
4. Code of Federal Regulations
5. Congressional Directory
6. Congressional District Atlas
7. Congressional Record , final bound edition
8. County and City Data Book
9. Economic Indicators
10. Economic Report of the President
11. Federal Register
12. Foreign Relations of the U.S.
13. List of Sections Affected (CFR)
14. Public Papers of the President
15. State & Metropolitan Area Data Book
16. Statistical Abstract of the U.S.
17. Statutes at Large
18. Treaties and Other International Acts of the United States
19. Treaties in Force
20. United States Code
21. United States Congressional Serial Set , bound edition
(distribution would be limited to regional depositories, plus one
depository in each state without a regional)
22. U. S. Government Manual
23. United States Reports
24. Vital Statistics of the U.S.
The GPO transition plan was a much discussed topic at the ALA
Midwinter Conference, particularly at meetings of the Government
Documents Round Table. A GODORT-originated resolution regarding
the transition to a more electronic federal information system,
passed by ALA's Council on January 24. In the resolution ALA
urged Congress to continue efforts to move the Federal Depository
Library Program toward a more electronic information and
dissemination program by adopting a 5-7 year time frame for the
transition, and to provide Federal information in a format most
appropriate to the public's needs by:
* supporting and funding the Federal Depository Library
Program throughout the transition period at a level necessary to
carry out a successful transition,
* disseminating information in media appropriate to the
information's content, use and audience,
* ensuring no-fee public access to government information
through depository libraries regardless of the agencies' cost
recovery practices, and
* affirming the government's responsibility and strengthening
its ability to archive and preserve government information for
long-term access.
Additionally, ALA urged Congress to hold public hearings by both
authorizing and appropriating committees prior to implementing
the Transition Plan and to enact the necessary statutory changes
to USC Title 44 in order to implement the Plan.
ACTION NEEDED: GPO is very interested in public comments on the
transition plan, particularly with respect to two general areas:
1) the impact of this transition on the users of government
information, on libraries in general, and specifically on
depository libraries; 2) the role of the agencies and GPO's
relationship with, and services, to them. Any comments on the
plan may be directed to Mr. J.D. Young, Director of Library
Programs Service at (202) 512-1114; fax (202) 512-1432, or by e-mail at .
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ALA COMMENDS CONGRESS AND GPO
At its Midwinter Meeting, ALA Council commended Congress, the
Public Printer, the Superintendent of Documents, and Government
Printing Office staff for providing the public direct online
access to GPO Access services at no charge and urged Congress to
provide continued funding necessary to support direct no-fee
public access to GPO Access services (see December 21, 1995 ALA
Washington Newsletter, p. 4).
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TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT OF 1995 PASSED BY HOUSE AND SENATE
The House and Senate have both passed S. 652, the
Telecommunications Act of 1995 late this afternoon, February 1.
The House voted 414 to 16 in favor. The Senate vote was 91 to
5. Both houses of Congress passed the final conference version
of S. 652 which was published in the _Congressional Record_ on
January 31 (pp. H 1078-1136). It appeared from observing floor
debate in the House that a number of technical or editorial
changes were distributed to representatives only on the morning
of February 1.
The final version of S. 652 keeps the Snowe-Rockefeller-Kerrey-Exon provision for discounted rates for advanced
telecommunications services for libraries, K-12 schools and rural
health care providers. Unfortunately, it still includes the
overly broad "indecency" standard on Internet content
restrictions. Further information when the legislation is
officially published in the _Congressional Record_.
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ALAWON (ISSN 1069-7799) is an irregular publication of the
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Contributing to this issue: Anne A. Heanue; Editor: Lynne E.
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